[Rhodes22-list] Ric - you have me mixed up with another Bill

Bill Berner bberner@optonline.net
Thu, 31 Oct 2002 13:07:19 -0500


Your mixing me up with Bill Efros.

I did not post the original Michael Moore piece. 

But in the post you just responded too, I did take up the debate.

Primarily though, I responded to what I believe were unreasonable
statements about the tone of the posts that have been going out.

I believe my post did not attack anyone as individuals, and I tried to
state my position and tried to put some shades of gray in an argument
that seemed to me focused on black and white.

The ugly tone has continued with your last post.

You may be trying hard not to attack me personally, but from where I
sit, " I'm sorry that I can't write real fancy like you do, but I'm
pretty sure that most will understand what I mean, maybe even you", And
"If you really want to show off your dissent to the best advantage in
the future, perhaps you would be better off chaining yourself to a
courthouse door somewhere and leaving us the hell out of it", indicates
you've failed in that attempt.  & I do take offense.

In Bob Herbert's Op-Ed piece in todays NY Times today, he reports that
the FBI has stated that last year there were just under 16,000 people
were murdered in this country, mostly by handguns.  No doubt many,
perhaps a majority of the weapons used were unlicensed and obtained
illegally.  But that doesn't alter the fact that people can buy guns at
gun shows without background checks being performed.  

This is possible because of a loophole in the Brady Gun Law.  The Brady
gun law required background checks on purchasers that buy their weapons
in stores.  The NRA, by the way, opposed passage of the Brady law.  It
now opposes closing the gun show loop hole.  Well if I were a criminal
or sociopath, I know I'd do my gun shopping.  But some on this list say
don't pass new laws just enforce the ones that are already on the books.


Disagreement on opinions is all well and good.  But I always thought
this list was in part intended to promote a sense of community and
mutual respect.  The bulk of the posts in the last few days, have done
little to help that.

Bill Berner
191 South Broadway
Hastings on Hudson, NY  10706

v 914 478 2896
f 914 478 3856


-----Original Message-----
From: rhodes22-list-bounces@rhodes22.org
[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces@rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Rik Sandberg
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2002 11:27 AM
To: rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Bill


Bill,

 Jeez Bill, it ain't rocket science. You post the most inflammatory
piece of
tripe you can find on the internet to the list, then wonder why a couple
of
people assume that this is how you really feel and call you an idiot???
I
know you're not stupid, there had to be no doubt in your mind that this
would happen before you did it, so tell me Bill, what were you hoping to
accomplish????

I have to wonder how it is that you expected a bunch of "un-nuanced"
thinkers like us to find a "middle ground" with you, since you were
apparently unwilling to enter into the very debate you started.

I'm sorry that I can't write real fancy like you do, but I'm pretty sure
that most will understand what I mean, maybe even you.

I'm trying very hard here Bill, not to attack you personally, but you
know,
after the furor you've caused, it just ain't easy.

If you really want to show off your dissent to the best advantage in the
future, perhaps you would be better off chaining yourself to a
courthouse
door somewhere and leaving us the hell out of it.


Rik

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